Interview with the author of Why Me?: Navigating the Unbearable Truth of Grief and Loss - Shirley Tripp Johnson

Shirley Tripp Johnson has been a Certified Grief Counselor (GC-C) since 2013 and serves as the President of Wings of Hope Living Forward, Inc., an organization dedicated to supporting parents and grandparents coping with the devastating loss of a child. After the tragic death of her son, Tripp, in 2010, Shirley found herself consumed by grief, struggling to navigate a darkness she never thought she'd escape. Seeking a way to heal, she pursued grief counseling and later founded her nonprofit to help others through retreats and compassionate support. Her book, a labor of love written over 15 years, is a deeply personal and powerful reflection on grief, resilience, and rediscovering hope. Through her work, Shirley has touched the lives of countless grieving parents, offering comfort, understanding, and the reminder that no one has to walk this journey alone.

Q&A

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.

I'm Shirley, and I'm a new writer. I published my first book on January 17th, 2025, about my personal journey through grief. Writing has been a way for me to process my emotions and hopefully help others who are going through similar experiences. My book explores the ups and downs of grief, the lessons I've learned along the way, and how to find hope after loss. This is my first book, and while the process has been challenging, it's also been deeply meaningful. I hope my story can comfort and encourage those who need it.

I am also a GC-C, Certified Grief Counselor, and am the President of Wings of Hiep Living Forward, a charity for parents who have had a child die.

What are you working on now?

I am focusing on grief and healing. I started writing to process my own journey through loss, and now I'm working on my second book. This new project dives into the things people shouldn't say to someone who has just lost a loved one and the words we truly need to hear instead of the usual, often unhelpful, phrases. My goal is to bring awareness to how we communicate with the grieving and help create more compassionate, meaningful conversations during times of loss.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now? Do you have any pets?

I was raised in Russellville, Arkansas, where I lived for 40 years before relocating to Michigan with my children and my new husband after he was transferred for work. We spent nine years there before moving to Pennsylvania, where I've now been for 21 years. My husband, Dan, and I share our home with one very special pet-Marly, our black standard poodle, who wholeheartedly believes she's human. And honestly, sometimes it feels like she is!

How did you come up with the title?

In 2013, three years after my son Tripp's tragic passing, the words Why me? echoed through my mind daily. I was still in disbelief that he had been taken from me. I knew then that I wanted to write a book, but it was too soon. So, I tucked that title away. In late 2024, I have finally begun writing Why Me?, a book born from years of grief, reflection, and the journey toward healing.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes-you have to feel it to heal it. Grief is not an easy journey, but you will survive it. When grief comes-and it does, very aggressively-you have to allow yourself to go with it, to feel every part of it. If you try to block it out, it will only return with even greater force. True healing begins when you allow yourself to fully experience your pain rather than run from it.

How much of the book is realistic?

Every single word in my book is realistic because it is a true story. I pull no punches when it comes to the devastation of the grief journey-I tell it exactly like it is. Grief is raw, relentless, and life-altering, and I don't sugarcoat the experience. My goal is to offer honesty, validation, and understanding to those who are walking this difficult path.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

My book is based entirely on my own grief journey-my personal experiences of being broken beyond repair, convinced I would never heal, to eventually finding the strength to carry on and the courage to embrace joy again. It is a raw and honest account of loss, survival, and the resilience of the human spirit.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, I wouldn't change a thing. This was my first book, and the emotions I wrote about were raw to the bone. I didn't sugarcoat anything or try to make it sound better-I wrote it exactly as I felt it over the years. It's an honest reflection of my grief journey, and that truth is what makes it so powerful.

Who designed the covers?

I found the cover image I wanted to use for my book back in 2013 on a site where you had to purchase the rights to use it. I saved it, knowing it was the perfect fit, but I needed to track down the photographer when I finally began writing my book. I searched endlessly on the original site but couldn't find it again. After days of searching, I decided to do a Google image lookup. The photo popped up on a blog where someone had credited the photographer. That led me to his name, and after some more searching, I discovered he was in Australia.

I emailed him, explaining that I had saved his photograph years ago, that I was now writing a book, and what the book was about. To my surprise, he responded the very next day, sending me the high-resolution image-and he didn't charge me for its use. It was an incredibly generous gesture. I designed the book's title myself, making sure it complemented the powerful image that had stayed with me all those years.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part of writing my book was going back through my journals and notes, reliving the death of my son, and revisiting all the emotions I felt in the early days of my grief. I cried as I wrote this book, and sometimes I couldn't see the words through the tears. I had to pause often, wiping away the tears just to keep going. It was incredibly emotional to read the moments when I didn't want to live, when I didn't think I could go on. That's how broken and shattered I was. Every part of it was emotional-reading news articles, sifting through hundreds of pages from my past, all while facing the painful reality of those memories

What genre do you consider your book(s)?

Memoir, Self-Help, Non-Fiction and Health

What is your favorite positive saying?

Don't sweat the small stuff because it's all small stuff. Once you have had a child die, it's all just small stuff.

What is your favorite quote?

Sometimes, the greatest inspiration for living comes when your mind is beyond that river that doesn't have a bridge. _Shirley Tripp Johnson_

If you had to give up either snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

Music

If you have pictures on your writing desk, who/what are they of?

My children, Jeremiah, Deidre and Tripp

What would the logline be for your book?

A heartfelt and raw account of a mother's journey through unbearable grief after the loss of her son, Why Me? explores the power of feeling pain to heal, offering hope and insight to others struggling with loss."

What is your favorite word, and why?

My favorite word is 'joy.' I lost my joy when my son Tripp was killed, and for a long time, I didn't think I would ever find it again. But I learned that joy isn't necessarily a big, lasting feeling-it's anything that turns your lips up, even if only for a moment. I had to grab the little joy I could find, even if it didn't last long. Now, I do have joy again, although I still mourn my son. Finding joy again has been one of the most healing parts of my journey.

Why Me?: Navigating the Unbearable Truth of Grief and Loss is available for purchase on Amazon and other online retailers.
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Me-Navigating-Unbearable-Truth-ebook/dp/B0DTFZZYDV

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This release was published on openPR.